Hello friends. It's been a while since we've last written, and we've experienced much.
Mark did indeed get his French pastry with coffee before we left Hue. The restaurant was very interesting - it's a French sponsored organization that provides work skills to street kids. Once they graduate from the pastry chef program they go on to get very good jobs at hotels and restaurants. The food in the little place that we ate was all made by the apprentices, and boy, if it's this good while they are apprenticing, I can only imagine how good it will be when they graduate!
The flight to Hanoi was pretty uneventful. We were fed a lovely boxed lunch with mystery meat on a bun, a cup of water, and a rather stale chocolate bar. It made me kind of sad, but I had to have something in my belly in order to take my doxy (anti-malaria drugs). Total waste of calories.
Once in Hanoi we went to Marjet and Reinier's place. They are teachers at the UN International School, and graciously hosted us in their home. They live in a very nice house about 10 - 15 km from the center of Hanoi with their 2 children, Rui (7) & Rebca (11) - oh, and their cat. After hanging out for a bit, we headed into town and had food, food, food.
First lunch at the local expat place called Kitchen. Quite delicious and a nice change from Vietnamese food. It reminded me of something you'd find on The Drive. Then, off to the center of the action.
Hanoi's old town is a crazy maze of traffic clogged streets. Heck, all of Hanoi is full of traffic clogged streets, but the old town especially so. Each street is named after the wares that it originally sold though they've changed over the years. So, there's silk street, sewing goods street, motorcycle seat cover street, toy street, shoe street, sheet metal street, etc. etc. Plus, interwoven with all these are tourist shops selling "Good Morning Vietnam" t-shirts, Ho Chi Minh hats, and all manner of other tourist things.
We came across chopped-fruit-drink street - I apologize if I explained them to you before, but they are now my new favorite. Chopped fruit (jackfruit, dragonfruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, dashi pears, sapodilla, avocado) with what else, sweetened condensed milk and coconut cream. Add some jellies (kind of like the jellies in bubble tea I think) toss in some shaved ice, and voila. Instant refreshing drink. You can see by the photos I'm getting a little larger, but heck, I'll diet when I get home. Food here is too good to pass up on!
Over to the other expat place with Marjet for a coffee - and of course, for Mark, something with his coffee. A little chocolate mousse anyone?
Marjet took her leave to get some of her chores done, and we continued to wander through the narrow streets. Lots of noise, lots of pollution, and definitely, LOTS to look at! Found more streets. Musical instrument street, headstone street, sadly, no cochineal street (yet! fingers are still crossed Mom).
We booked our trip to Halong Bay. Mark's childhood friend who has spent much time in Vietnam advised that it was "not to be missed", so we took his advice and booked it. Not an inexpensive venture, but completely worth it.
We spent 2 nights and 3 days on a very beautiful Chinese style junk along with two other couples. One couple was a Vietnamese couple on their honeymoon. They were very, very cute. The other couple were around our age and from Austria. A very fun duo, Stephan works for an auto manufacturer - can you guess which one? and Corina works for "a travel agency" (Expedia). We shared a table and many stories and laughs with Stephan and Corina, and remembered that one of the things we love most about travelling is meeting new people.
Some highlights of Halong Bay include: kayaking through the caves - it really is spectacular, drinking gin and tonics on the deck (it was hell!) the abundant seafood meals, swimming in the bathtub warm water, swimming into a cave only to have to battle the current to get out (all that swimming practice when my back was out paid off) teaching some of the other kayakers how to balance a paddle on their head, the amazing scenery, squid fishing at night and being the champion squid fisher, and of course, the company on the voyage. Great fun was had, and we have some new friends as an added bonus.
We are back in Hanoi now, and will be here for a couple of days before heading out to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. Time to try some bia hoi!!
PS I forgot to add that we had some bun cha (noodles, spring rolls, bbq'd pork and a pile of fresh greens) at a very busy street restaurant. It was delicious, but my stomach did a little flip when I looked closely at one of the mint leaves. There was a chubby little green caterpillar on it. But, like a good local, I chucked the leaf, checked the next one, and kept eating. After all, the grub was fat and happy. If he was dead, well that might indicate the food isn't healthy.......
Ciao for now
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